Signs Posted at Columbia Association EV Charging Stations

On March 4, 2013 I contacted the Columbia Association, a non-profit community organization that had recently used a U.S. Dept. of Energy grant and their own funds to install five EV charging stations at four of their facilities in Howard County, Maryland. I thanked them as an EV driver and suggested they post “no parking except for electric vehicle charging” signs at the charging stations since there were often gas vehicles parked in front of them.

Other EV drivers also contacted them about the ICEing problem. The response we got was that they had designed blue signs that said, “Electric Vehicle Charging Station.” They added that they were not willing to post signs that restricted parking to electric vehicles only, in part, because there were no enforceable regulations similar to those for handicapped spaces.

So, we worked with the Howard County Council to get an anti-ICEing law passed in the summer of 2014. Then, things got complicated. Read about the difficulties and drama in these posts:

At the April 28, 2016 Columbia Association Board Meeting, we were told that official signs that conform to the standards set in the anti-ICEing law for the police to enforce on private property were being ordered and would be posted. Ten weeks later, after realizing the signs hadn’t been posted, I contacted the Board and President of Columbia Association to follow up. After some discussion, the signs were finally posted on Wednesday, July 27, 2016.

It took over 40 months, countless emails, phone calls, meetings and getting two laws passed. But now we have what I simply asked for in 2013: official, serious-looking signs that will discourage ICE drivers from blocking the charging stations.

Thanks to all the EV drivers who wrote, testified and otherwise supported this effort. Thanks also to the President, Board of Directors, staff and Village Board members of the Columbia Association. Their continued support of electric vehicles through providing charging infrastructure contributes to a better environment which benefits the entire community.